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My sacred task as rabbi is to ignite the God-given hidden spark within each person, and connect this light to others through building spiritual community. The tool of ignition, inspiration, and agitation is our Torah, 70 Faces and all, and my task is make Torah come alive (through diverse venues) in the present so it will live in the future. I seek to be a madrich/guide and leader who can help others traverse through the windy pathways of life.

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Join us on Friday evenings at 6:15 pm for a relaxed and upbeat Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv service. During our intimate service in the round, we will pray together, learn together, and explore a spiritual question posed by Rabbi David Baum. There's no need to dress up! Come as you are to connect to community and to God in our 'Living Room' at Congregation Shaarei Kodesh.

Korach, Datan and Abiram, say the following to Moses and Aaron: “You have gone too far! For all the community are holy, all of them, and the Lord is in their midst. Why then do you raise yourselves above the Lord’s congregation?” It seems like they are sticking up for all of us doesn't it! Why are you hoarding all of the power?!? But let's look closer at the sentences that precede this statement:
“Now Korach, son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi, TOOK, (along with Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peletch, descendants of Reuben – Numbers 16:1
Rashi, quating midrash Tanhuma, states…

"I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." - Elie Wiesel
This week, the Jewish people lost one of our greatest and most influential voices, and one of our most beautiful souls, Elie Wiesel. Before you continue reading my words, I ask that you read Wiesel's obituary that was published this week in the Forward (click here).
When Wiesel won the Nobel prize for peace, the citation said, "Wiesel is a messenger to mankind. His message is one of peace, atonement and human dignity. His belief that the forces fighting evil in the world can be victorious is a hard-won belief." Wiesel was the Jewish people's gift to the world. Wiesel once said in an interview, "If I survived, it must be for some reason. I must do something with my life. It is too serious to play games with …